Genotyping in patients with heart failure and comorbid depression revealed that genetic variants implicated in anxious behaviour (NPSR1) (Angermann et al. 2017) as well as inflammation (C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6)) (Kittel-Schneider et al. 2018) modify the risk of progression and mortality. Here, CRP is linked to major depressive disorder.